Recreational & Family - Confused about trailer options - Burley, Go Bug, Chariot?

I am so confused! I am trying to decide on a trailer...who knew there was so much to know! I went and tried the kids out in some which made things more confusing! I was about to rush off to and buy a 2006 Burley d'lite on craigslist for $300 or a Yakima hot tot for $150 (but the hubby thinks it doesnt look sturdy enough?). We tried the Trek Go Bug (seemed a bit narrow which has it's + and -, kids looked a bit confined but it would better for riding on crowded paths/sidewalks and it seemed more like a carseat with structured interior), the Burley d'lite (kids seemed to fit well much more loosely constructed, seemed like it would give more room to grow) and the Chariot (seemed to be the midpoint of construction between the other two, I liked the seperate storage although it wasn't as big and area to expand if needed and of course being the most expensive I had to like it the best . Of course I could only get the kids in for about 30 seconds before they were off wanting to climb all over the bikes in the store. That is something that should change once we get on the road, right? I hope *crossing fingers*

So my question is does anyone have experience with the chariot or trek? It seems that you see more burleys around. resale is definately a concern for me. Soemthing I find funny is that in all my scouring of craigslist I haven't seen a single trek or chariot.

are any of these even worth the money???? could i go with a cheaper one and get a better bike or a bike seat or an alley cat soon for my 3 1/2 year old...

We are thinking of renting a trailer this weekend to see how it goes before making a big purchase. Good idea?

thanks again!!!!!!!!!

If you ride alot the more expensive models can be worth it ($300+). Chariot is a very well made trailer. Burleys are also well made and trying to catch up to some innovations that Chariot has done (IMHO). Burley is one of the original top end models, you can't go wrong there. The Treks are also very nice. You can't go wrong with any of those three models. If you go used, I'd say not to spend more than $200 or $250 if it is pristine and meets all of your needs for something new. Your 3.5 year old has 1 maybe 2 riding seasons left in the trailer. Around 5 is when they are too big and should be capable of being in a riding position (their own bike, tandem, TAB). If you plan on having more kids, the cost and use of the more expensive models will amortize well.

If you don't ride much or very long, the cheaper models will give fine service.

Experience has shown that width is less of concern than child comfort, especially as kids grow and are more physically capable (mine, stop touching me, give that back, etc.). If you want to helmet them in the trailer, helmet pockets (indentations around the head area) that let the childs head stay upright are very nice to have. If you need to store or transport the trailer, foldability can be an issue. If you plan on running errands with the kids, then storage for shopping items is nice to have. Some folks have trouble hooking trailers to their bikes because of an odd configuration of the bike, if possible check all bikes that plan to pull the trailer prior to purchase. If you plan on doing alot of very rough riding, and I mean trails that are not well maintained or are designed with lots of dips and bumps, then a shock absorber is nice to have. If you live in very hilly area, then a brake system on the trailer is nice to have. Again, these are nice to haves but not at all necessary to enjoy the trailer. The majority of people that ride with trailers can get by with the ~$100 trailer. If you have the money, the more expensive ones are nice.

Renting is a great way to get a better idea of what you would like and need in trailer. Although in the few times I have seen rentals, I was not impressed. The looked very durable but abused and not the smoothest rolling, but what do you expect from rentals.

Thanks for you response! I was hoping you would just tell me which one to buy though :) I think you might be right in terms of looking at it as long term investment. I mean my youngest in 17 months so if I spend a small fortune on a high end trailer and ride AT LEAST once a week it will more than pay for itself, right? I just don't know if I understand what make one trailer $200 and one $600????

My father who is helping with this purchase loves the go bug because of the roll bar. I'm not a huge fan of the overly structured seats because the kids looked uncomfortable. Plus, I'm a bit concerned about the resale value of a go bug.

Thanks again!

In my one statement "Experience has shown that width is less of concern than child comfort" I meant to convey that the width with respect to the roads and paths typically is not an issue. Most find that they would rather have the wider trailer for the child comfort and that they adjust to maneuvering a wider trailer. I think they are all within 3" of each other. The shoulder width being most important. I think the Chariots even taper theirs a little from the shoulder to the feet (Go Bug too?).

In any case, for just bike trailering $300-350 is about the top-end new. You can pay more for the luxury models, suspension and braking systems but most don't really need that (~$500+). The extra money goes to the wheels components and engineering (fit, folding, closures, etc). Although, these items are nicer they are not 2-3 times as nice as the lower end models. Beyond that I think you are paying for convertability to strollers, joggers, skis, cargo, etc.

In my experience it used to be that the fabrics were the highest failure point, UV degradation and subsequent tearing, nicks and cuts that run, high tension or abrasion points that wear through. Replacement of the fabric was expensive and typically not worth it. Burley especially was this way, but they have since improved their fabric from reports. Availability may still be difficult or maybe even non-existent on older models (recent bankruptcy/restructuring/ownership and new models). Something to consider if you go used, i.e. don't buy a used trailer with poor fabric unless you know you can get a replacement and for how much (typically ~$100 or more). I have not heard complaints about the newer high end models. I have not heard complaints about the current low end models but I don't know if that means that the lower end buyers are not reporting back with long term problems.

As for resale. The Go Bug should be fine, maybe not as great as the Burley's or Chariots but not bad. I would still highly recommend the used market. Other good trailers but smaller companies are:

Wike (http://www.wicycle.com/)
Cycletote (http://www.cycletote.com/)

We had a Burley about 8 years ago that the fabric failed on (hence my fabric experience). We currently have a Cycletote and have been very happy with it over the 6 years? (I can't remember anymore). They are more expensive new than comparable Burleys and Chariots (~$450). They are hard to find used but they have recently added a used market page (http://www.cycletote.com/recycled_totes.html) to their website. I am not sure if they have the only braking system available or if Chariot has introduced one also. The Cycletote attachment is unique in that it is similar to TABs and attaches to the seatpost. We have two adapters so that we can easily go from one bike to the other. It tracks a little nicer than the chainstay mounts and you can't run into the attachment bar as I was able to do on the Burley (but I had to work to do that). Also the wheels are standard presta 700c (can order with 26") which means I don't have to carry different sized tubes or tires for longer journeys. They used to be one of the widest in the industry but that may no longer be so. They are generally more expensive than the others but I don't even notice the cost after all these years. I should be able to get a decent resale when we finish with it in another 2-3 years, that is if we don't keep it and convert it to cargo touring. They definitely do not fold as easily or nicely as the Burleys and Chariots. The fit of the side panels is not as integrated as the others either. The fabric is the most durable I have seen of any other trailer and replacements are easily available. Overall, it would be one of our top contenders but I think we would now look strongly at the Chariots (CX 2, Cougar 2 or Corsaire XL).

Bottom line, it is difficult to go wrong unless you ride alot and or have storage/feature issues that you don't account for. Most things turn out to be nice to have but are not a necessity. Very few kids dislike riding in their trailers and adjust very well to what they have.

Sorry for the long post. I just wanted to give full disclosure on my view of the trailer market and things to consider in your purchase decision.

The extra money goes to the wheels components and engineering (fit, folding, closures, etc). Although, these items are nicer they are not 2-3 times as nice as the lower end models. Beyond that I think you are paying for convertability to strollers, joggers, skis, cargo, etc.


I can't compare every aspect of every trailer but our burley umm encore I think it is, I love the wheels and hubs, love love love them. It's a better stroller than our purpose-built (but costco-brand) jog stroller, and the 20" wheels roll so much better than dept store trailers w/ 12 or 16" wheels (we tried some of each just a bit). My wife is purely utilitarian, doesn't like anything for its own sake, but she does like this trailer better than others we looked at.

To the extent that a trailer can fetch half-price on craigslist or whatever, it makes more sense to me to buy it new, cash-flow permitting, and get the benefit of the 1st half of its life before selling it for half-price when the last kid outgrows it. We did manage to pull that off w/ some other kid gear. However, looking at our trailer, 1.5 kids along, it's definitely got enough wear and miles that we won't be getting half-price for it when the 2nd outgrows it in another year or 2. Could still see asking for a c-note but it gets daily use through all kinds of weather and there are a lot of days and a lot of potential wear between now and whenever #2 does outgrow it to predict just how beat it might wind up when we do part with it.

We had a couple cheap trailers from the box stores, and the seat belts broke... twice. So we then looked at Trek, Wike, Burley, and bought the Chariot Cougar 2. Although any of them in this group are solidly built, and a good choice.

If you find a good used one of any of these it might be worth a look. If taken care of they drop a certain amount in price, then hold there value reasonably well. You may sell it in 3-4 years near what you paid for it used.

What made a difference in our mind:

1) The hitch. We had 2 that attached to the frame, and they were terrible. You also don't want one with a spring in the hitch point as they yank around when you pedal. Chariots ball and socket works wonderful, quick to connect, solid when pulling, and attaches to the axle.

2) The seat belts. Our son kept unbuckling the regular seat belts, and most don't stay on him well. Chariot has wonderful U shaped, padded 5 point harnesses. The buckle is under the padding were the kids can't undo it. It is likely the most difficult to go from one kid to two or vise versa however. If you switch back and forth often you may want to go with something else.

3) The suspension. Last I checked only Chariot had a suspension on their trailers. Our daughter stopped complaining about bumps when we switched.

4) I liked the looks!

5) Also fold one down, and back up. The chariot probably isn't the most compact when folded, but I can take it apart and put it together in about 45 seconds. I never folded down the others to check them out... wish I had.

You are correct that Burley was first to market, and now have great name recognition. Burley is a US company, were Chariots are a more expensive Canadian product. This results in way more dealers carrying Burley than Chariot, we had to search out a dealer. When we went to look at the Trek, the dealer was in a bad mood that day, so we really didn't get to check it out (KC Trek Store). The Wike is mail order, and I really wanted to see them first hand before spending that much cash.

It's been about 5-6 years since I've taken a close look at them, so use this as food for thought, and check these points when you go shopping. Ours is still going like new!

Thanks again for all the food for thought! I guess a better get move on purchasing something since it will be winter here before we know it. If I can just convince my hubby that it's time to plunk down the cash for the trailor and for a bike for me :) I have tons to think about now with so little time! Thanks again! You all are so helpful!